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Headache How to avoid
| HEADACHE A headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck and is an extremely common symptom. CLASSFICATION: 1. primary headaches, 2. secondary headaches 3. Neuralgias and other headaches PRIMARY HEADACHES which are not caused by an underlying condition. . tension-type headaches . cluster headaches . migraines TENSION TYPE HEADACHES Episodic Tension Headaches (occurs less than 15 days per month) Pain is mild to moderate, constant band-like pain, pressure or throbbing Pain affects the front, top or sides of the head. Pain usually begins gradually, and often occurs in the middle of the day Pain may last from 30 minutes to several days Chronic Tension Headaches (occurs more than 15 days per month) Pain may vary in intensity throughout the day, but the pain is almost always present Pain affects the front, top or sides of the head Pain comes and goes over a prolonged period of time Associated Symptoms of Tension Headaches include: Headache upon awakening Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep Chronic fatigue Irritability Disturbed concentration Mild sensitivity to light or noise General muscle aching MIGRAINES Moderate to severeY that can affect whole head, or can shift from one side of the head to the other Sensitivity to light, noise or odors Blurred vision Nausea or vomiting, stomach upset, abdominal pain Loss of appetite Sensations of being very warm or cold Paleness Fatigue Dizziness Fever (rare) Bright flashing dots or lights, blind spots, wavy or jagged lines CLUSTER HEADACHES Intense one-sided pain throbbing or constant Pain is located behind one eye or in the eye region, without changing sides Pain lasts a short time, generally 30 to 90 minutes. (most sufferers get one to three headaches per day during a cluster period). Headaches occur very regularly, generally at the same time each day, and they often awaken the person at the same time during the night. OTHER TYPES OF PRIMARY HEADACHES: Primary cough headaches: Brought on by coughing or straining. Primary exertional headaches: Brought on by exercise. Primary headaches associated with sexual activity: Triggered by sexual activity or orgasm. Hypnic headaches :Dull headaches that wake you from sleep. Primary thunderclap headaches :Begin suddenly and are very intense, but do not occur regularly . Hemicrania continua are persistent, one-sided headaches: Respond to a medication called indometacin. New daily-persistent headaches: Similar to tension-type headaches but they occur every day and do not go away. Medication-overuse headaches: Regular headaches caused by overuse of painkillers. Cervogenic headaches:Caused by a disorder in the neck. Headaches caused by temporomandibular joint disorder: Headaches that are a symptom of a jaw problem SECONDARY HEADACHES which are caused from another disorder an underlying condition such as meningitis, brain tumors, hemorrhages, hematomas, and intracranial venous hypertension, increase pressure within the skull,many infections Brain abscess: The pain is similar to that caused by a brain tumor. However, if an abscess ruptures, acute meningitis results, causing an intense headache and a stiff neck. Brain tumor: Pain is mild to severe and may become progressively worse. It usually recurs more and more often and eventually becomes constant without relief. People often become clumsy, weak, or confused. They may vomit or have seizures. Encephalitis: Encephalitis (infection of the brain) can cause headaches.People may also have a fever. They may become very drowsy, clumsy, weak, or confused. They may vomit or have seizures. Coma can develop. Some people also have meningitis. Eye disorders (such as iritis, glaucoma, and papillitis): The pain is moderate or severe and is often worse after using the eyes. It is felt at the front of the head or in or over the eyes.Vision is impaired. Giant cell (temporal) arteritis: A throbbing pain is felt on one side of the head at the temple. The scalp hurts when the hair is combed, and chewing hurts. The arteries in the temples may be enlarged .Aches and pains may occur, particularly in the shoulders, thighs, and hips. Vision may be lost. High blood pressure (hypertension): Extremely high blood pressure can cause headaches. The pain is throbbing, occurs in spasms, and is felt at the back or top of the head. Usually high blood pressure does not cause headaches. Intracerebral hemorrhage: The pain may be mild or severe and occurs on one or both sides.People may become very drowsy, clumsy, weak, or confused. They may vomit or have seizures. Coma can develop. Meningitis: The pain is severe and constant and is felt over the whole head. It travels down the neck, making bending the neck to rest the chin on the chest difficult.People feel ill, have a fever, and vomit. Sinus disorders: The pain is severe and may be dull or sharp. It is felt at the front of the head. It may begin suddenly and last only a short time, or it may begin gradually and be persistent. It is usually worse in the morning and less severe in the afternoon. Cold, damp weather and lying down make the pain worse. Subarachnoid hemorrhage: The pain is severe, constant, and widespread. It may reach its peak intensity within a few seconds. The eyelid droops. People often describe the headache as the worst ever experienced. They may briefly lose consciousness. Subdural hematoma: The pain is mild to severe and intermittent or constant. It can be felt in one spot or over the whole head and travels down the neck.People may feel sleepy or become confused or forgetful. MANAGEMENT: The sufferer must seek medical treatment. A correct diagnosis should be made. The treatment offered must be appropriate to the diagnosis. The treatment should be taken as directed. The patient should be followed up to assess the outcome of treatment, which should be changed if necessary. |
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